HEQ5 PRO Polar Scope Calibration and Quick tips for Polar Alignment
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- Опубликовано: 27 дек 2024
- 2019 Update: Well the world has moved on and so has polar Alignment!
Your scope likely now has 'All-Star Alignment' and/or 'Software Alignment'.
I compared these with using the polar scope and they are more accurate.
That's because you are using the main scope to align at high power with a narrower field of view.
Whereas the polar scope is low power/wide field.
Another quick trick is - when the scope points to your first alignment star - instead of using the hand controller (these are disappearing now too yikes!) - push/pull/drag the mount carefully or use the Altitude/Azimuth knobs for finer movements to put the star in the field of view.
This is a short cut to all-star alignment. Your next star will be closer to dead on.
Here's how to calibrate the date circle for accurate polar alignment.
The Skywatcher manual is non-sensical on this item. It is difficult to put the process into type or even words, hence the video.
Finally! Someone that actually knows how to use the time and date circles. Thanks.
Quite clear to me and this is the way I calibrated it when I got my mount over 8 years ago. It was way off when I bought this mount. Adjusting the index ring to 0 once the correct position of Polaris is at a certain point in time and verifying it by looking on the web for that position is the key to successful polar alignment.
you go so fast i have no idee wat you are talking about. everything is out of focus and so on. So can you explaine how to set this time and day please?
Frank - I've not had a polar scope now for around 10 years! Its old school. Software alignment is easier and more accurate. Quick tip - put Polaris right in the centre and you will be closer than one degree from the pole. Tip two - download polar finder app on your phone
@@StarsandGuitars100 thnkz i have the polar app. i didnt know it is old becouse there are also new YT vids with how to polar alligment . i have also an goto but there is no polar aligment afcours ) what is your settup now may i ask ?
I was getting frustrated reading my EQ5 manual. Thanks a lot for this video!
Anyone watching in 2020: They changed the layout of the engraving in the polar scope. Instead of putting Polaris at the bottom, put the number zero at the top. It needs to look like a normal clock face.
Hey Jekerdud, long after this video, I tested polar aligning with the polar scope compared with software polar alignment. I was sure the polar scope method would be more accurate! But the software method was more accurate. It's because it uses the main telescope to centre the star positions, whereas the polsr scope is very low power and wide angle. Cheers!
Steve, never got back to you on that. You don't have to worry about the reticule, because when you do the calibration you will be compensating for whatever position its in. You still turn the mount to put the circle for Polaris straight down, then rotate the date circle until it reads 1600 hours against March 1st, then set your zero (white mark). Hope you've got it going by now ...
Agreed... the suppliers documentation on polar scope calibration/alignment is confusing and your video makes it easy. On another note re: your report on the HEQ5 Pro mount problems..... I had very similar problems which were traced back to the power supply and a 7ah battery does not provide adequate juice for motor inrush currents. In any case the best choice for firmware upgrades with least amount of remaining bugs is typically the latest (currently 3.27)... I believe.
Hi James,
Fabulous tutorial just what I needed, one question please when you realign
the date/latitude ring does this then stay put.
Thankyou Alan.
Thanks.
Could you tell me if the telescope suffers a lot of damage if I want to observe from the seashore? I say this because of the salinity that can affect the lenses. Is there a trick to protect it and be able to go anyway?
I live by the ocean and haven't done anything special. If moisture forms on the lens, bring it indoors and let it evaporate. Don't wipe the lens - ever - we ll except in exceptional circumstances. Use a lens pen (the brush) to brush off any big dust particles. Don't use the rubber end on a telescope lens it's meant only for eyepieces.
@@StarsandGuitars100 thank you and clear skies
UMMMMMM I will try and follow that
@g00glian0 yes, that's right. The stars appear to rise 4 minutes later each night because of Earth's motion in orbiting the sun. 4 minutes x 365 days = 24 hours (that's one extra spin because we've gone around the sun once).
One more question please James, When you mention 1st March,4 PM for your
location. This for me would about 04:40 5.9.11 as long as its the next transit time
for your location you input that, would that be correct.
Thankyou Alan.
Not sure I understand how to read the dial regarding the months? How does this work?
Just imagine the area marked 7 represents July - So July starts at the first stroke (to the left of the 7) and ends at the right stroke (to the right of 7). Just imagine that area divided into 30 days, each small marking is another day, advancing left to right. So July 1st is the big stroke to the left of the number 7.
I have been checking the transit time everyday here in Dayton, Ohio. It seems to very night by night from around 4-7 minutes. This is according to PolarFinder software. Does this sound right?
I wish when you showing the rotation of the date dial to the time dial, there was enough light, and also everything is out of focus to
so see what is where, and with what you are aligning, I just could not make out. Also it was too dark there to make out. I am still finding it difficult to understand. Wish you can make another video with enough lighting where you are pointing in the darkest part of the circles. I still have not figured this out, and i have ordered the HEQ5 mount. Waiting for it to arrive in two months time. If you have another video with more clear view and in focus, could you share the link please.
Ramesh! Nooooo! Save yourself the pain! 😀 there's no need for this anymore. Software Polar alignment is way more accurate and easy. I even have a new mount 'Celestron Evolution' that doesn't even require Polar Alignment. You do have to keep exposures short to 30 seconds to avoid rotation. Good luck!
@@StarsandGuitars100 thanks for the inputs. I am planning to use the HEQ5 PRO with the ZWO ASIAir Pro. Being in India, stuff not available off the shelf, so found a company in India, but they are waiting for sufficient order, so i guess i will be lucky even to get it by May, cause once they have min orderers, then they will get it.
Yes good comment, otherwise your risk breaking off the Altitude screws!
But I do usually align without the OTA (Optical Tube Assembly) then check again once the scope and counter weight are loaded up - and just tweak it if its moved. Sometimes with the weight on board your tripod can settle into soft ground.
I've a vixen gp and its polarscope is not parallel to the axis.. I tryed to allign it by the 3 screws but isnt so easy.. :(
got roughly the same polar scope on my scope mount but never use it--approximate alignment (with compass) is tracking good enough for me.
I am getting an eq5 mount, does the polar scope actually look like that inside? And is it the same for the eq5
does the polar scope come with the mount ? im buying a neq6
The polar scope does come with the HEQ5-PRO and it is an excellent Polar Scope.
at the beginning, why do you put polaris straight down? Is that something you do for where you live? in other words is that going to be different for me or does everyone need to put polaris straight down
It's just tells you what time Polaris will be in transit. Eventually you will rotate that later on when night sets in. You'll follow what time it is in your location and set the same in the time circle of the Polar Scope. And actually the video is Polar Alignment already, I think Calibration is different. You'll have to set the calibration during daytime by way of distant objects, and rotate the right ascension thoroughly and adjust the azimuth until the target object doesn't drift and stay centered.
Ryan, the polarscope has an uncorrected view -so when polaris appears at the bottom of the polar scope view, its really above the polar axis in the sky and that's the position we want to setup the time and date circles for.
@TheRedhotred Sounds like Glasgow?
@JamesJames4 Oh, correction there - 4 minutes earlier each night!
I did all this, and at the end, my mount was facing as down as it could. The counter weight pole straight up.
Why?
That's right - that just means you setup your date and time circles for when polaris would be above the polar axis (the mount would be striaght down). Just turn your mount back to its normal position. But now you can find polaris by turning the mount to match the date and time on the circles with your actual date and time your are observing. Then look through the polar scope and move the mount with the Azimuth and Altitude knobs (not the hand controller). Once you've manouvered the mount to put polaris in the circle in the polar scope you will be accurately polar aligned. Once you done that - move the mount back to its normal position for observing. But now your mount will be aligned accurately with the Earths Polar Axis and your mount will follow the stars without drifting. Or for visual, put polaris right in the middle of the polar scope and you will be less than one degree away from the correct position. That's plenty close enough for visual.
In the Northern Hemisphere 1600 hours should be read from the top half of the RA circle. The Bottom half is for Southern Hemisphere Observers.
Yes, I agree it could be better - but this was about the 6th try and was more right than the others. I invite you to explain it more clealy
They say Aperture is King! That's mostly true -but there are other factors. The skymax cassegrain would be better on planets with its long focal length. Were as your 127mm Reflector would be better on low power deep sky. Eventually you'll have more than one scope. I've currently got six! Seems ridiculous but I like to try everything out ...
There is a much easier way to align your telescope. Stellarium is a free planetary software download .Once you have set your position on the earth in stellarium it remembers it for good. now when your about ready to set up your telescope you 1st just zoom in to stellarium to see where Polaris is in relation to the actual axis of the earth. Lets just say for example that Polaris looks to be about 7 o'clock from the actual earth axis. Now when you look at the cross hair in your polar scope just put Polaris at the imaginary 7 o'clock position upon the large circle ignoring the small circle.(imagine 1 o'clock instead of 7 o'clock if the optics turns everything upside down like my Orion polar finder does)
Not a clear explanation of polar scope setup.
Was clear enough for a dumb ass like me to understand.
Remember!!!
Never align with the OTA on the HEQ5...
Works for me good simp!e explanation thanks
You just saved my ass
Thanks for this instruction far better than trying to fathom it out from the instruction Manuel, especially for a beginner! Your post was simple easy to follow a breath of fresh air.
Pfeffer Springs
cool
What ?
real pro tripod the best the best
@myketyke1 thanks myke!